Ink-vending machine



Jar'i. 8, 1929. 1,697,849

T. G. BURKE ET AL INK VENDING MACHINE Filed July 18, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l v awuemtoz Q .7 A MQ I la; flam 1f Q Jan. 8, 1929.

T. G. BURKE ET AL INK VENDING MACHINE Filed July 18, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

' TAYLOR G; BURKE AND MAU 1) BURKE, or NEW YORK,;'I\T-. Y.

INK-VENDING. MACHINE.

Application filed July 18,1925} Serial m. 44,428.

This invention relates to ink vending machines, and has for its object the provision ofmeans whereby'inkissupplied for filling fountain pens inreturn for a suitable coin.

5 Aifurtherobject' includes the provision of a construction whereby ink is provided in quantities sufiioient to fill a fountain pen in return for a deposited coin of proper value.

Another object includes the, provision of a r coin operated mechanism for the purpose stated, which is comparatively simple in construction, efficient operation and whereby ink in quantities sufficient to fill a fountain pen is exposedfor a limited time. A still further object includes the provision of a timingmechanism whereby the ink is exposed for a sufficient period of time to fill a fountain pen. b

Other objects will appear hereinafter, and

' I attain these objects by theconstructioni-lv lustrated in. the accompanying drawings,in

which V p Fig. 1 is asectional view, in elevation of a construction which embodies the principles of our invention. Fig. .2- is an end view thereof.

. Fig.3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of b Fig. 1, with the operating and timing mechanism omitted.

timing mechanism taken on the line H of Fig. 3 looking inflthe direction of the arrows. Fig. 5. is a view of the coin gripping de- Vlce. v f V I Like partsliarie, designated by the same numerals throughout the several views.

It is among the prime purposes of our in vention to provide anink vending machine which is inexpenslve to operate and which is for the convenience of persons who use fountain pens. To this end weprovide, in a pre ferredconstruction, base 11 .anda cover 12., At or near thebottom of the casing'we provide an ink reservoir 13 to which is connected a pump 14 by, a supply conduit 15 which. mayjbe provided with a suitable'checkvalve (not shown) to prevent the ink from the reservoir.

mechanism carries a rack 17 a rackbar 19 on the piston 16 to thereby cause the; pump to supply a. limited quantity of ink'to the gravity, reservoir, 20. through theconduit 21. From this reservoir, by

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the operating and well adapted to be stationed in public places a casing 10 having a being forced back intov Shaft 18 of the operating which operates means of conduit 22,'the. ink is sup-piliedto thepen filling well 23 in which operates "a piston 24" to discharge the remaining ink into the" drain basin 25 at't heend of the time limit. From this-basin-the left over ink is returned to the return basin 26, when that is used, and from. thereto the reservoir'13jbya' drain pipe 27 Obviously, this pipe may be attached directly to, the drainbasin 25 if desired, in Which case basin 26 may be omitted.

A 'cylinder'drain 28 serves-to carry off any leakage thatmay accumulate. Normally the piston 24; rests at the position shown iii-Fig. 1, as-willlbe'more fully statedbelow. In this position it is held by a cam member 29alct- 'ing on a bearing roller 30 which is connected on the piston stem 81 ofpiston 24:. A spring 32 holds-the cam roller in' close engagement with the cam and thus insures positive operation tolo-wer the piston tothe position indicated in dotted lines, and thereby provide the, ink filling well 23, in which the, pen nib I is'dipped'throughthe opening 33in the easing. A gu de 34 holds the roller 30 in proper position, and cam 29 is secured to shaft 18in any suitable manner as by a nut 35.

The operating mechanism is so constructed' as to be placed in. operation in response to certain necessary acts includin'gthe insertion of a proper coin in the chute 36 and in the specific construction herein shown", winding the operative mechanism by giving the handle or key 37 "a quarter turn. The shaft 38 on which the key'37.' is connectedterminates in a bearing 39 so as to be movable" independently of the operating shaft 18. At a suitableposition on shaft38 there is fastened the coin engaging orank lO, the head 41 of which engages a deposited coin" 42 as it rests on plate a3 to thus prevent the-head 41 from inelfectively passing through the opening in the operating crank head 44 of the operating crank arm 4C5 Crank arm 45' is fastened to the operating shaft 18 which when a suitable coin has been inserted will be rocked asthe key 37 is given a parti'al'turn to thus wind" the operating and timing mechanism 2 in the manner described below. A spring 46 inexpensively'supply. suflicient motive power to provide a limited supply 'ofink temporarily and for a long enough time to fill a single pent This purpose we accomplish by the operating and timing mechanism herein disclosed, and whereby the motive power operates the pump piston 16 to forceink nto the gravity reservoir 20 and to again raise into normal position the-temporarily lowered ink returning piston 24. The return of this piston is timed by the operating mechanism so as to permit the pen to be filled. from the ink that is temporarily exposed in well 23. .Tl1e motive power herein is a power spring llhich is wound up by giving thekey37 a quarter. turn after a coin hasbeen deposited. This turn will rotate the driv e wheel 51 and wind spring 50 by means of a reduction gear52. A retarding.mechanism in the form of reduction gears 53,54 and 55, and

by force ink into the gravityreservoir20 in theinanner stated above. At the same time,

because of therotation of shaft 18 and attached cam 29, the ink exposing piston 24; will be lowered to approximately the position shown in the dotted linesin Fig.1. When in this position a limitedquantity of ink will fill well 23 above the lowered piston 24 to thus provide ink for filling a fountain pen.

The pen is filled by opening'the cover 33 and dipping the pennib into the ink well 23 through the opening 33 in thecover of [the receptacle. WVhile' the pen is being filled the plunger-24 is caused to return to its normal position thereby preventing the filling of several pens on the deposit of a single coin.

,IThe pump piston 16 is also returned at this time, to its upper or normal position in readiness for pumping a fresh supply of ink into the gravity reservoir 20.

Y When the supply of ink in the supply reservoir falls below a certain level the coin is'automatically returned by means of the return chute 70. The mechanism for returning a coin includes an actuated trip release 71 which normally engages and holds the coin plate 43 in position. When, however, the

float 72 is lowered, by reason of a low ink level, the finger 73 onthe float stem 74 re leases the trip 71. When this occurs, spring 75 will cause the plate to tilt to the position shown in dotted'lines in Fig. 3. The

-- coin is now free to pass through and outby said plate and isengaged by the head 41 of way of the return chute. 7

Normally, the coin plate assumes the full line position. The coin is then stopped by the operating crank 40, to thus operate the ink pistons and to wind the spring for the purpose stated. When the pistons are returned to their normal position, they shut oil" the ink supply until another'coin is inserted and the key 1s again turned as before.

An ink supply funnel 80 is provided for convenience in filling the reservoir. A cover 81 and padlock 82 are provided for closing the funnel. A coin box 83 to receive the coins is provided, as they are released from the coin clutch mechanism which release is effected when the'turning pressure of the key and operating mechanism is released.

Then the arm 40, by reason of its spring then quickly returns, this return action being faster than the timed return action of the operating crank arm 45, thus causing the coin to drop into the coin box."

- The use of our vending machine isreadily understood. If it is desired to fill a fountain penof the self-filling? type, a coin is dropped into the chute 36. The key is then given a turn until the stop is reached, which is about a quarter of a turn. This action willlower both the ink cylinder plungers 1.6 and 24 in their respective cylinders, and piston 16 will force a limited supply of ink intothegra'vity we claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p l

In an ink vending machine, the combination of means for detaching a predetermined quantity of ink from asource of supply, means for confining said quantity of ink in a limited space accessible for filling a fountain pen, timing mechanism for returning unused ink to its source of supply,"and means for operating said mechanism.

v 2. In an ink vending machine, the combination of means for receiving a control device, including a crank, said crank rendered operative through the agency of said control device, and means for exposing a predeterminedquantity of ink accessible for filling a fountain pen, and pistonmeans for 'controlling said exposed ink. V

3. In an ink vending machine, an ink reservoir having a conduit, a gravity inkfeed connected to said reservoir by means of said conduit, means for supplying a predeter mined quantity of ink to said gravity feed, means connected to said gravity feed for receiving and exposing a limited quantity of ink in a confined space for filling a fountain pen, and means for disposing of the ink within a limited time.

4. In an ink vending machine, an ink reservoir having a conduit, a gravity in'k feed connected to said reservoir'by means-of said conduit, a pump connected to said reservoir lUQ for forcing a limited quantity of ink into said gravity feed, a well communicating with said gravity feed, and means for closing the communication between said well and said gravity feed.

5. In an ink Vending machine, an ink reservoir having a conduit, a gravity ink feed connected to said reservoir by means of said conduit, a pump connected to said reservoir for forcing a limited quantity of ink into said gravity feed, a well communicating-with said gravity feed, means for closing the communication bet-ween said well and said gravity feed to thereby obstruct the well, and means for withdrawing said obstructing means, and means for rendering operative said obstructlon withdrawing means.

6. In an ink vending machine, an ink well,

a storage reservoir having a piston for controlling the ink in said well, a gravity ink reservoir also having a piston for controlling the ink from said gravity reservoir, a cylinder for each of said pistons, common means for operating said pistons simultaneously to thereby cause ink from the storage reservoir to be'supplied to said gravity feed and ink from the gravity feed to be supplied to the cylinder in which the second piston operates, and means for rendering operative said pistons.- y

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands on this 15th day of July, A; D. 1925.

MAUD BURKE. Q TAYLOR G. BURKE. 

